In Gratitude

Rev. Master Basil Singer

I have been
reflecting on why How to Grow a Lotus Blossom means so
much to me. When I first went to Shasta Abbey, I came from New
York City and was very green to Buddhism and Buddhist training.
When I read Lotus Blossom during my first month, it was
like learning about the laws of gravity. I finally was
able to understand some things that were stirring within me, but
I didn’t have a clue about what was going on or what to do
(except go to Shasta Abbey).

As I reflect now,
what comes up was that there were three aspects that Rev. Master
Jiyu showed and explained – from her own experience – in
Lotus Blossom.

First, Rev.
Master showed me about karma and karmic inheritance. This was
big for me because there were things in my life and things that
I was doing that were causing me (and others) to suffer. I see
now that karmic waves were manifesting from the past and I was
reacting in ways that were causing me to suffer. The teachings
of karma and karmic inheritance given by Rev. Master were a very
great help to me. They showed me how to be mindful of these
waves, and showed me that only the love of the Eternal worked,
and that meditation and training were how to realize It.

Second, Lotus
Blossom taught me about the Eternal and our relation to It.
In her teaching of the “Five Columns,” and in other
descriptions, Rev. Master really showed me the way to the
Eternal and how to find It. I won’t go into detail here, but I
can say that this is – to me – the finest and deepest teaching.
I was, and will forever be, grateful.

Third, Rev.
Master showed me the deepest aspects of the Precepts in her
commentary on the Kyojukaimon. Also, she showed me the deepest
way to look at the Eightfold Path. I was shown how to live my
life in a way that my suffering and lifestyle could be converted
to the love and acceptance of the Eternal, and that I could live
this way.

The teachings of
How to Grow a Lotus Blossom showed me what religion was
all about and how to live it.